Heart Fortune (Celta) (36 page)

FamWoman, Trago shot at me with a blazer, singed some feathers, but I am not much hurt.

Oh, Zem!

Zem said,
Everyone in camp is running around, looking for Trago. He is not to be found.

Do you know where he is hiding?

I am watching, but I do not see,
the bird said.

We are only two, we can go faster than the whole band.
Glyssa pushed enthusiasm at Jace and Lepid and Zem.

Two?
asked Jace.

Del sent Shunuk with me.
Shouldn’t he have sensed that, her conversations with others? She scowled, straining to read all the nuances of their bond. Both of her loved ones were tired, and she didn’t know what the future might hold, but it was sure to need action on all their parts—energy and Flair.
Maybe you can sleep?
she advised.

The older fox is coming back?
Lepid said.

Yes,
Glyssa replied.

Oh,
Lepid said, but she heard the pout in his tone.

* * *

I
n the ship, Jace yanked out the cover on the bed and rolled under it,
holding it up for Lepid.

Old, old smells,
the fox grumbled.
Of woman, maybe a trace of man. Not Celtan. Don’t like this cover
. He scrabbled at it.

“Get under here,” Jace ordered wearily.

With a low growl, Lepid did.
I don’t wanna sleep.

“Nothing else to do,” Jace said, except worry, and that was never productive.

Their body heat began to warm them, and the cover was unexpectedly efficient at keeping the warmth in. He was wondering what kind of material it was made of when sleep took him into dim and anxious dreamtime.

* * *

G
lyssa shifted again on her stridebeast, refusing to be intimidated by
this stretch of path through towering trees. Jace and Lepid weren’t the only ones who were sleeping, the FamFox Shunuk snored behind her and she was glad. Shunuk was not as fun to travel with as Lepid. The older FamFox—a spy on her as well as a guide—complained a lot.

Two-thirds of the way back to the camp, it rained and she used the stingiest of weathershields. A feeling deep in her bones told her to conserve her energy and Flair, that she’d need it later.

Finally, with better time than she’d expected, not quite midafternoon, the camp came into sight and the stridebeast loped toward it.

I’m here!
Jace heard Glyssa mentally.
I’ll be there to get you out shortly!

Jace had been thinking.
I don’t think we have a tool to break open the door. You wouldn’t have the strength for a lever.
He nearly shuddered as he thought of his boots sliced in two.
And I’m not sure a blazer-type tool would work on the metal in a . . . in a timely fashion.

All right.

Just come and we’ll figure it out,
he said.

All right.

And, Glyssa?

Yes?

Please go to the Elecampanes’ pavilion and retrieve my HeartGift.
He thought he sensed her gasp.

Are you sure?

Yes. I want it . . . it’s a powerful object.
And now he knew she felt disappointment. He was almost sure he wanted to give it to her, but wouldn’t commit to it yet.

I will do that,
she said.
The Holly commander is here. I’ll be there as soon as possible.

Lepid wiggled next to Jace and sighed.
FamWoman comes.

“Yes.”

She didn’t sound too mad.

“Not yet. She’s worried.” Hell,
he
was worried, despite telling himself not to be. “I bet when we’re all safe, we’re going to get a scolding.” But Jace smiled. They’d be out soon, all of them together. Lepid’s ears drooped against Jace’s arm.
I will never get to explore this ship by myself again.

“That is very true.”

* * *

G
lyssa
, Zem whispered in her mind. She thought he was close, but
didn’t turn around to see.

Yes, Zem?

I want to go with you. My FamMan needs me.
Hesitation.
And I need my FamMan. I am no longer a part of the hawkcel community here, whether mere birds or potential Fams. I would pine without my FamMan.

Underground can’t be good for you, Zem,
Glyssa said, probably more chidingly than she should have.

I want to go. I will fly down and latch on your shoulder once you are on the girder.

Her stomach tightened with nerves. Going down into the ship didn’t feel exactly right to her, either, though she thought she’d prefer it to being lost in the woods. She gave in.
A companion will be welcome.

Thank you.

Glyssa stood at the entrance down to the ship, the break that had occurred during landing, closer than she’d ever been before. The long rust-colored beam angled down a good three stories to the actual opening into the ship. The other levels were sheered blank walls whose thickness couldn’t be measured.

Thirty-eight

Y
ou go down first, alone,” the Holly woman said. “I have not been
authorized to allow anyone else in there with you at this time.” Her expression was warrior-stern, but compassion lived in her eyes. Glyssa hadn’t expected that. She got the idea that the Holly woman and her compatriots would volunteer to help if they were allowed. Maybe they were curious, too, and Lady and Lord knew they might be more disciplined than the adventurers in the camp.

“Here’s an air mask.” Cornuta Holly handed it to Glyssa.

The woman had been helpful, greeting Glyssa as she’d reached the site, handing her off the stridebeast, accompanying Glyssa to her pavilion where she picked up a recordsphere and a datasphere that held the volume of Hoku’s journal that dealt with the ship.

Holly had even opened the safe in the Elecampanes’ tent and allowed Glyssa to take Jace’s HeartGift. The spellshielded envelope was about as long and as wide as both of Glyssa’s hands and seven centimeters deep. Flat enough that she could tuck it into the outer tunic she donned over her shirt.

Trago still hadn’t been found. The guards believed he was hiding in the forest, and couldn’t guess whether he would return to the encampment. He’d had help with his revenge against Jace, and no doubt had enough artifacts from
Lugh’s Spear
to buy anything he wanted. So he could go to another secret landing field like Myrtus Stopper had and be whisked away to Druida City or Gael City or anywhere else on Celta.

FamWoman, FamWoman, RUN!
Zem shrilled in her mind.

Several explosions hit the camp, roaring flames into the sky, concussing sound punched her ears. The guard assigned to the hole swore, didn’t move. The others—the Holly commander—ran for the main camp.

Mouth hanging open, Glyssa watched tents collapse, flattening so she could see past the gathering circle. She turned in the direction of her pavilion, gasped. It was gone.

RUN!
Zem yelled in her mind again, swooped down to land on her shoulder, pecked at her head.
Trago comes!

And there the man was, skin tightly pulled over his skull, sweat gleaming on his face, spots under his armpits, along his shirt, desperate looking. He held something in his waving hand, raised his arm as if to throw. He was at the edge of the forest, long meters from her. Surely the projectile couldn’t reach her, even with Flair.

DOWN!
Zem flew into the hole, skimming along the glider.

Without thought, Glyssa followed, feeling the odd metal under her shoes, heard the rapid thump of her steps. The descent took longer than she’d anticipated, rushing at an angle down three full stories, using Flair to balance herself as she ran down into the gloom. She tripped at the end of the beam and over rocks at the bottom.

Here, here!
Zem said. Even before she could see him, she stumbled toward him, hit her head on some sort of metal.

Move right, RUN!
He flapped away into darkness. Panting a word she lit a spellglobe and hurried after.

Whoosh, bang!
and glass broke behind her and another explosion at her back pushed her down the hallway. She attempted to stay on her feet, but lost her balance, fell and skidded along the floor, and screamed when something hot seared her scalp.

* * *

A
huge bang reverberated throughout the ship, followed by a roaring,
rushing of . . . earth? And Jace just
knew
, that the girder had fallen into the ship, the entrance filled with dirt.

He sent his mind questing to
see
the area beneath the breach in the ship, the hole. To no avail.

It seemed as if the walls of the huge ship pressed on him. He gasped for air, claustrophobia squeezed his mind.

They were trapped. He and Lepid. No easy way out. His heart hammered in his chest. Trapped and dying, slowly dying.

Could they possibly last the days, weeks maybe, until rescue?

He didn’t think so.

Grabbing onto all his control, setting his teeth, he beat back fear.

Then he heard Glyssa scream. Close. Here in the ship.

Glyssa!
Undisguised panic raged through their link from him to her.
Glyssa!
He didn’t have a shred of quiet in his mind to check the link.

FAMWOMAN,
Lepid shrieked mentally. His claws dug into Jace’s chest.
Zem!

“ZEM!”
Jace yelled telepathically and out loud.

I . . . I’m fine,
Glyssa sent, though he sensed her coughing.

I, too, am fine,
Zem said.
I am down the corridor away from the explosion. I sensed the top of the corridor and FLEW. I have perched upon a large box. I am in the dark.

Be right with you, Zem,
Glyssa called.

Make a spell light!
Lepid cried. Jace got the sense that the fox was more disconcerted by the lack of light than he.

I think we must save all our Flair energy,
Zem said. Though he sounded calm, Jace knew from his link with his Fam that Zem could barely move from the panic coursing through him.

Lepid was accustomed to being in holes, underground dens. Jace was human and used to living in houses or tents. Zem had neither of those experiences. That he’d decided to come with Glyssa to save Jace humbled him.

I love you very much, Zem,
Jace said, sending his Fam great love, composure.

I love you, too, FamMan,
Zem said.

I LOVE MY FAMWOMAN!
Lepid shouted.

We love each other,
Glyssa said.
I am making a tiny, dim light. I am accustomed to threading through the underground storage areas of the PublicLibrary with such a spellglobe.
But Jace sensed her mouth was dry and she swallowed.

He rose from the bed and took hesitant steps toward the door, stopped when his foot nudged against Lepid. Jace couldn’t help it, he could no longer stay on the bed. Like a boy waiting for his girlfriend to come, he sat cross-legged before the door.

Glyssa? Jace? This is Raz T’Elecampane. Can you hear me?

I can hear you, Raz,
Glyssa replied.

So can I,
said Jace.

And I can link in our Fams who are with us,
Glyssa said.

Good you can hear. Unfortunately the rest of my news is bad. I have been told by Cornuta Holly that the whole camp has been affected by several explosions,
Raz Elecampane told them steadily.
The mess tent, the workshop, our tent. Your nonfood no-time storage units remain, but your pavilion and all the furniture is gone.
He paused.
The land has shifted, the scenery changed. There is no way you can teleport out here to the camp.

Jace thought Glyssa had stopped her progress down the hallway and leaned against one of the walls, maybe even trembling.

Raz went on,
We don’t know where such incendiaries for the explosives came from. We had no such materials in the encampment. The Holly guards believe that one of our recent visitors brought them to Trago. He’s working with someone else. No doubt someone wealthier and of higher status who wants to shut down this operation or make it so costly that they can buy in and seize control.

“Fligger,” cursed Jace.

STUPS!
whined Lepid.

Raz T’Elecampane’s harsh chuckle came through the telepathic link.
We are all considering how to rescue you, and request you stay put for a couple of septhours. None of you are in immediate danger, right?

No-oo,
Glyssa said. But Jace sensed she ran rapidly toward him.

We will be in touch,
T’Elecampane said. Jace got the idea that people surrounded the man, pestering him.

Some minutes later he heard Glyssa’s footsteps echoing before her. His heart pumped with hope, with need, with the wish to see her again. He closed his eyes tight against the sting.

Lepid hopped off his lap and began to scratch at the door, whining.

“I’m coming!” Glyssa shouted. A tremor went through Jace at hearing her actual voice resound outside the door in the hollow corridor. “Let me record the Captain’s Quarter’s door, first.”

Sniffing, Lepid thumped his butt on Jace’s ankle. Both Glyssa’s and Lepid’s actions made Jace smile. He rubbed his face. She was only a couple of doors away.

Then she was there, right outside the door. He could feel her presence. “There’s a control panel for the door to the right of it.” The words spurted from his mouth.

“So I see,” she said. “I’m increasing the light so I can examine the mechanism. Can you see it?”

“Not a glimmer,” Jace said a little too heartily to sound naturally cheerful. He stood.

Snick. Snick. Snick. Zem pecking at the door.
I do not like this metal. I do not like this place.
Then, on the private channel to Jace, the bird said,
Lepid was a young fool to explore this terrible place.

Thank you for coming,
Jace said as more thumps and bangs came from outside.

“I’ve tried,” Glyssa said. “The door crank won’t move. I tried applying Flair power to it until I thought I’d break it, then I stopped.”

“All right,” Jace said. He wanted to yell.

“I checked Hoku’s journal for data about the doors. He said they had schedules for some of the colonists to go in and retrieve their possessions and items they thought they might need to establish a town here, but the power was turned off and no one was supposed to be in the ship when the land beneath it gave way and it was lost.” She paused. “He didn’t know how much power there might be, but extrapolated that there could be some. It might have lasted, if we could find one of the control rooms.”

“No,” Jace said flatly. Cleared his throat. “Not until it is our last option.”

“All right.” Another pause. “I don’t want to stay out here when you’re in there!” Glyssa cried.

Me neither,
said Zem.

Jace could actually hear her pacing. Thump, thump, thump– thump.

“We could at least die together,” she said.

That had his stomach curling into a tiny ball. “You don’t think help is coming? You’re an important person.”

“Not that important.”

“You’re best friends with a FirstFamilies Lord and Lady.”

“I don’t think they can get to us,” she said in a small voice. “And I don’t know what our air and food and water supplies are.”

“Nothing much alive for Zem, that I know of. But you should stay out there. Out there, you can find food and water maybe. In here with us, you’re stuck.”

They were both stuck.

A few breaths of quiet passed, the only sound a low level whine by Lepid. He shivered in Jace’s arms, feeling skinnier than before, even though they’d only missed two meals, max.

“I think if I tried to blow this door open with all my might I would harm you,” Glyssa said.

A longer moment of silence, now. “I think you and Lepid should teleport to us,” she finally said. “Zem and I can give you a good visual.”

Yes!
Lepid said.
I’m ready.

Should Jace go with him or not? He decided not. “Lepid first. He’s smaller and has different vision than I do—we won’t have to merge our images. I can give him a Flair push, of course.”

I do not need a push. I SEE the corridor like FamWoman and Zem. Nice and light, thank you FamWoman!

“You’re welcome,” Glyssa said.

I am counting down! One, Lepid fox; Two Lepid fox; Three!
the FoxFam said it so fast that Jace didn’t have a chance to send him energy.

Lepid vanished and excited barking came from outside the door.
Good to see you, FamWoman! Good to see you, Zem!
Jace couldn’t hear the slurps of love but sensed them down his bond with Glyssa, which had expanded. For a moment he basked in the emotions he felt from her, the small sensations he received through their bond, the busyness of her mind. Then he narrowed it a bit.

I’m concentrating. Please send me images,
he requested telepathically. They poured into him and he had to lean against the closed closet door. Zem’s and Lepid’s shades of colors were not the same, and not human, perspectives skewed. From Glyssa he got a great idea of the hallway. Lepid was right, she’d lit it nicely and not too bright.

Lepid yipped.
It is easy, FamMan!

Jace figured if the fox could do it, he could, too. He latched onto the images that reinforced his recollection of the hall in the direction of going deeper into the ship. Yes, that’s how those boxes were positioned, and the doors that were opened and closed.

Counting down,
he projected.
One, Glyssa dear; two Zem BirdFam; THREE!

A rush of Flair came from the trio outside the door, augmenting his as he fixed the image in his mind and ’ported.

This time he lit well, softly, and saw the tense face of Glyssa, the short flight of Zem heading toward him, before the bright light faded to dim when Glyssa extinguished several of her spellglobes.

She flung herself into his arms and he was glad to hold her, pulled her close, breathing in essence of Glyssa and the small, lingering smells of the world outside the alien ship that he took for granted.